For many years coffee was a taboo drink for anyone remotely health conscious. But nowadays even the most health conscious people can drink coffee too. Like everything else, there are a few rules that we need to stick to, in order to be healthy coffee drinkers.

There has always been a debate about whether decaffeinated coffee is better than normal coffee. My personal feeling is that if I am going to have a cup of coffee, I would rather have one cup of the best coffee that I am able to, instead of lots of cups of “not the real thing.” It is a bit like drinking non-alcoholic beer. There are so many nicer drinks to drink, so if you are not going to drink a really good beer there’s no point in drinking a sub-standard beer.

There seems to be a link between decaffeinated coffee and high cholesterol levels. No one is sure why, but the possibility is that the chemicals used to extract the caffeine may raise cholesterol.

Methyl chloride is sometimes used to extract caffeine, and this is a carcinogenic that can contribute towards cancer.

The great news is that all of us healthy people can pour ourselves a cup of coffee, and enjoy it whilst reading the list of healthy drinking coffee tips below:

Only ever drink 1 to 2 cups of coffee per day.

Do not every consume coffee at any time after lunchtime.

Do not add sugar to your coffee. Some people do like to add a bit of honey to sweeten their coffee, which is fine.

Do not use artificial sweeteners.

Preferably drink coffee made with organic coffee beans.

Cinnamon is really healthy, and can be added to your coffee.

Do not use artificial coffee creamers, but rather use fresh milk.

Some benefits to drinking coffee are:

Gives you energy.

Keeps you alert.

It is an anti-oxidant.

Kills bacteria in your mouth, and helps prevent cavities.

Helps burn fat, and diminishes cellulite.

Helps protect against Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, type 2 Diabetes, Gout, Melanoma and lots more diseases. (I am hesitant to be too sure of all of these preventions. Lots of tests have been done, but for all the good caffeine has the potential to do, it can do as much harm to your body, if drunk excessively.)

There is nothing like the aroma of coffee. When people are trying to sell their houses, they are often advised to brew coffee, as when people smell the aroma, they automatically feel at home. Coffee aroma brings down our stress levels, and is extremely calming.

Finally, I know this may sound crazy, but if you have a headache, or need to take painkillers for any reason, if you take them with coffee instead of water, they are far more effective. And this can help to prevent migraines.